Circuit-controller.



No. 658,225. Patented Sept. I8, 1900. C. C. WEBSTER.

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

(Application filed Ian. 19, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets -Sheet l.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES CARLTON WEBSTER, OF ASBURY PARK, NEW JERSEY.

CIRCUIT-CONTROLLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 658,225, dated September 18, 1900.

' Application filed January 19, 1900. Serial No. 210M, (No model.)

To c'tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES CARLTON WEBSTER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Asbury Park, in the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Circuit-Controller, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates particularly to circuit controllers for electrically illuminated signs, and the object is to provide a simple controller that may be readily adjusted or changed to direct a current to the lamps forming the respective letters of the sign in any desired order, sequence, or combination.

. I will describe a circuit-controller embodying my invention and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a circuitcontroller embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail showing in plan a setting-lug employed. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail show ing in plan a releasing-lug employed, and Fig. 5 is a face view of one of the circuitclosers employed. 7

The controller comprises a rotary part, which is here shown as consisting of a number of disks 1 of any suitable material mounted rigidly on a shaft 2. The rotary part is made in sections or disks, principally for con venience in manufacture and so that a greater or less number of disks may be placed upon the shaft. It is to be understod, however, that it may be made in the form of a continuous cylinder. Motion is to be imparted to this rotary part by any suitable motor-such, for instance, as an electric motor-supplied from main wires which also supply the several lamps comprised in the sign. Each disk has secured to its periphery at opposite sides an annular metal plate 3, having an inwardlyexteuded flange portion 1, there being a space between the adjacent edges of the flanges 4, extending entirely around the disk, and there is also a space between the periphery of the disk and the inner surface of these flanges.

Adj ustably mounted on each disk is a setting-lug 5. The lug is connected to the flange portion 4 by means of a screw 6, passing through the space between the flanges and engaging with a nut 7, which presses against the inner surface of said flanges. The lug 5 has a cut-away portion 8 at its center, for a purpose to be hereinafter described. Also adjustably mounted on each disk is a releasing-lug 9, which is secured by means of a screw 10, engaging with a nut 11, the said screw passing through the space between the flanges. By this construction it is obvious that the setting-lugs and the releasing-lugs may be adjusted circumferentially of the lation to each other. Any number of setting and releasing lugs may be mounted upon the same disks;

Mounted on a standard 12 are contact-Hm gers 16, which extend toward the rotary part and have upwardly-extended ends connected by wires 14 with the terminals of the lamps of the respective letters of the sign, and coacting with each finger 16 is a circuit-closer consisting of a plate 17, of resilient metal, connected to a base 18, of insulating material, and there will be as many circuit-closing devices as there are disks mounted on the r0- tary part. The circuit-closers 17 will have a common connection with a plate 13, to which one of the main wires 21 is attached by wire 19. The fingers 16 are the terminals of the lamps forming the respective letters of the sign, the other terminal of the lamps in the respective letters of the sign being connected by means of a wire 20 with the main wire 15. For each circuit-closer 17 I provide a device for holding it in engagement with its contactflnger 16. As here shown, this holding de vice consists of a latch 22, having swinging connection with the upright 12 and having a hook portion 23 at its forward end for engaging a forward projection 24 on the circuitcloser. It will be noted that the lower side of this projection 24 is inclined upward and toward the rotary part, so as to provide a cam-surface to be engaged by the setting-lug 5. The latch 22 extends through an opening 25 in the circuit-closer 17, and it has a forwardly-extended lug 26, adapted to be e11- gaged by the releasing-lug 9.

In operation, while the rotary part is movdisks or of the rotary part in any desired reing, the lug 5 by engaging with the inclined surface of the projection 24 will force the circuit-closer 1'7 inward to engage its upper end with the contact-finger 16. When the projection 24: passes beyond the hook portion 23 of the latch 22, the latch will fall by gravity, engaging the hook over the projection 24, thus holding the part 17 in electrical engagement with the part 16. The opening 8 in the lug will allow the lug to pass the end of the latch 22 without engaging with the latch. WVhen the releasing-lug 9 reaches and engages with the forwardly-projecting lug 26, the latch will be lifted out of engagement with the forward projection 24, permitting the circuit-closer to spring forward to its normal position, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

It is obvious that by this device the parts may be so adjusted as to cause the illuminating of all the letters in a sign simultaneously or any desired number or combination of letters in the sign or the several letters in consecutive order. As a general thing the several letters will be illuminated one at a time, and therefore it is obvious that there will be an economy in expense on account of some of the lights being out a portion of the time. It is obvious also that the circuit-controller may be employed for other purposes than that of controlling lamp-circuits-such, for instance, as cutting machinery in and out and for producing variegated lights.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In an electric-circuit controller, a series of contacts, a rotary part, setting-lugs adj ustable circumferentially on the rotary part, releasing-lugs adjustable circumferentially on the rotary part and means operated by the releasing-lugs for opening the contacts, substantially as specified.

2. An electric-circuit controller for lamps in an illuminated sign, comprising a rotary part, a series of circuit-closing plates, a contact-plate common to all of the circuit-closers, lugs carried by the rotary part for moving the circuit-closers to their closing position, means for holding the said closers in their closing position, and lugs carried by the rotary part for releasing the holding means, substantially as specified.

3. A circuit-controller for an electricallyilluminated sign, comprising a rotary part, contact-plates each having electrical connection with lamps forming a letter, spring-contact plates coacting with said contacts and having connection with one of the supplywires, a holding-latch for each spring-contact,

lugs carried by the rotary part for engaging with cam-shaped projections on the springcontact, and lugs carried by the rotary part for. disengaging the latch from its holding position, substantially as specified,

4:. In a circuit-controller, a rotary part, comprising a series of disks mounted on a shaft, plates connected to the periphery of the disks and having inwardly-extended portions spaced apart, lugs adjustable circumferentially on said plates, and circuit-closing devices operated by the lugs, substantially as specified.

5. A circuit-controller for the purpose described, comprising arotary'part, setting-lugs movable entirely around said rotary part, releasing-lugs also movable entirely around said rotary part, spring-plates for closing circuits and adapted to be moved into closing position by the setting-lugs, and swinging latches passing through openings in the contact-plates,

and having hook portions to engage with said 

